Kakashi Hatake
Kakashi Hatake (はたけカカシ, Hatake Kakashi) is one of the main characters of the series, a jōnin-levelshinobi from Konohagakure and the leader of Team 7. He is known worldwide for his use of the Sharingan, earning him the moniker Copy Ninja Kakashi (コピー忍者のカカシ, Kopī Ninja no Kakashi) and Kakashi of the Sharingan. Background Kakashi is the son of Sakumo Hatake, a genius renowned as "Konoha's White Fang".[4] Not much is known of his mother other than that she died at a young age.[5] Sakumo fell into disgrace after choosing to save his comrades rather than complete an important mission, which caused the nation and the village to suffer a great loss. Dishonoured, Sakumo took his own life after suffering a deep depression and drop in his skills; this experience made Kakashi determined to lead his life strictly by the ninja code.[6] Hailed as a prodigy,[7][3] because of his great intelligence, skill, and aptitude, at five years old he graduated from the Academy in a single year at the top of his class, eventually joining a team alongside Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara under Minato Namikaze's command. He later became part of a one-sided rivalry with Might Guy. In the anime, Guy first approached Kakashi while he was reading, quickly announced his desire to challenge the prodigy. While initially Kakashi was completely indifferent to the overzealous Guy's request, Guy continued to follow Kakashi around and challenge him. Eventually, Kakashi gave in to Guy's request, beating Guy in every challenge, including various forms of marksmanship, taijutsu combat, and even physical comparison. Despite these losses, Guy became only more determined to defeat Kakashi. Seemingly warming up to Guy, he continued to accept Guy's various challenges (including eating contests and Rock, Paper, Scissors), ultimately giving Kakashi a record of 49 wins and 50 losses.[8][9] A year later, Kakashi became chūnin after facing and defeating Might Guy during the third stage of the Chūnin Exams.Soon after becoming a jōnin, Kakashi was assigned to lead his team-mates Obito and Rin on a mission that would benefit Konoha in the ongoing Third Shinobi World War. They were to destroyKannabi Bridge, which was being used by Iwagakure forces to move into Kusagakure. This would also be Konoha's first huge offensive move in the war. On their way to the bridge, Rin was kidnapped by two Iwagakure ninja named Kakkō and Taiseki. Obito immediately suggested that they rescue her, but Kakashi disagreed on the basis that they needed to complete their mission, opting not to make the same mistake his father did in his mission.Obito would not hear of it and stubbornly left to save Rin, but not before mentioning that he believed Kakashi's father, the White Fang, was a true hero. Shortly after parting ways, Kakashi reflected on Obito's words and Rin's prior kindness. He realised that his father was not wrong after all, which prompted him to join Obito in the rescue effort. Kakashi arrived in time to save Obito from Taiseki, using his father's blade to combat him. Despite the two-to-one disadvantage, the more experienced Taiseki was able to attack and damage Kakashi's left eye, who took the blow that was intended for Obito, giving him a permanent scar and blinding his left eye.Obito's will to protect his comrades caused his Sharingan to awaken, and he used it to kill Taiseki. After finding Rin and defeating Kakkō with Obito's help, Kakashi freed Rin from the genjutsu before their opponent attempted to trap them in a cave-in. While trying to escape, Kakashi was hit by a rock, which he didn't notice because of his bandaged eye, causing him to fall. Obito pushed Kakashi out of the path of a falling boulder, he himself getting crushed beneath it instead. Knowing he was dying, Obito requested his Sharingan be a belated present to Kakashi and instructed Rin to implant his left Sharingan into Kakashi's damaged eye. Rin complied, and as soon as the surgery was completed Kakashi used his new Sharingan to perfect his Chidori and kill Kakkō. He then returned to Obito to see if there was anything he could do for him, but alongside Rin was forced to leave him. With the help of Minato, they ultimately completed their mission, allowing them to mourn Obito's supposed death. Abilities Kakashi is hailed as a natural genius, evidenced by his meteoric rise through the ninja ranks; graduating from the Academy top of his class at age 5, becoming a chūnin at age 6, a jōnin while still a child, and his high status in ANBU. Naruto notes that much of Kakashi's battle prowess and skills is greater than his friends who showed exceptional might in their own specific skills.[42] A match for seemingly any opponent, it was also noted by Tsunade that Kakashi is easily one of Konoha's strongest ninja.[43] His various accomplishments have earned him much praise by his fellow Konoha ninja and he holds a position of great influence amongst them. He is frequently given responsibility for important tasks, such as watching Naruto in case the seal of the Nine-Tails begins to fail as well as being considered an ideal and one of the most suitable candidates for the position of Hokage.[44] Other ninja villages are very aware of Kakashi and his abilities,[45] and upon meeting him in battle, become afraid or excited by the challenge Kakashi is certain to pose. Pain, the most powerful member of Akatsuki, feared that Kakashi would interfere with Akatsuki's plans if left alive.[46] This was later validated in the Fourth Shinobi World War. Kakashi's extensive and varied skilset allow him to fight or provide invaluable support against opponents of any level, from powerful missing-nin in Akatsuki to the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and later held off several "Version 2" statejinchūriki together with Might Guy,[47] and even single-handedly defeated Obito Uchiha in battle, who had immensely developed his abilities under the tuteleage of Madara Uchiha. He could even handle himself against the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path or the Ten-Tails itself. Taijutsu:Kakashi is very adept in taijutsu. In the anime, as a child, he was skilled enough to hold his own against his sensei, Minato Namikaze, in his bell test, managing to touch one of the bells.[50] As an adult, his improved skill was noted to be greater than Rock Lee in Part I, who is a taijutsu expert.[42] He is also noted to have impressive speed; being able to intercept an opponent even from a distance as seen during the very start of the bell test.[51] Even when greatly outnumbered by hundreds of shadow clones, he is easily able to defeat them.[52] When facing an adult Obito, Kakashi was able to hold his own and ultimately defeat his former team-mate in hand-to-hand combat.His battle prowess and speed allow him to effectively catch his opponents off-guard to quickly strike them down and easily evade attacks. His speed increased considerably in Part II; before the timeskip he had difficulty keeping up with Itachi Uchiha, but outmanoeuvred the Akatsuki member after the timeskip. His hand seal prowess has also been noted as being very great, able to perform them at highly difficult speeds to follow.He is also able to open at least one of the Eight Gates,[54] a feat that very few ninja are able to achieve. In the anime, he can also utilise advanced techniques derived from it while showing no signs of even fatigue afterwards.[52][55] His raw strength is also noticeably high, able to in Part I simultaneously throw both Naruto and Sasuke a large distance, clash with the likes of enemies like Zabuza who possess great physical strength and in Part II easily lift and wield the giant blade ofZabuza Momochi, Kubikiribōchō, with a single hand despite its considerable weight. Nature transformation:In addition to the sheer number of techniques he is purported to know, he is also proficient in several nature transformations. He has a natural affinity for Lightning Release,[60] which he mastered before even becoming a jōnin. It became so advanced that it is an attribute enemy ninja identify him by.[61][62][63] His prowess with Water Release techniques is such that he can match specialists like Zabuza Momochi[64] and perform them without a nearby water source.[65] He has used Earth Release techniques, able to move fast and unnoticed underground or produce large and intricate earthen walls rather quickly.[66] He has also shown considerable skill in Fire Release techniques, able to produce amassive fireball able to cause much damage to the area,[67] and he is otherwise at least knowledgeable enough to train others in Wind Release. When Kakashi learned how to use the Rasengan, he attempted to infuse it with lightning-chakra as it was originally intended to be combined with element chakra, but ultimately failed. However, he used the same theoretical principle to create the Chidori,[68] which he later refined into the far stronger Lightning Cutter.[69][70] He can also enlist the aid of a shadow clone, to create a lightning chain able to cut through even a jinchūriki's chakra arms in a "Version 2" state.[71] He can also create a lightning-infused clone,[72] and hound via his manipulation of lightning chakra. Ninjutsu:Kakashi primarily relies on his mastery of ninjutsu, of which he has a vast arsenal due in part to his Sharingan; being noted to have copied over a thousand techniques,[23] the number has continuously been growing through his many battles. With this arsenal, he can attack or defend against his opponents in numerous manners. While a student under Minato Namikaze, Kakashi learned how to use the Rasengan, though he was unable to add his own nature transformation and complete the technique, instead relying on his Lightning Cutter. Kakashi has also developed considerable prowess in fūinjutsu, something that Orochimaru found impressive given Kakashi's age. Sharingan:Kakashi's most distinguishing ability is the Sharingan in his left eye-socket that was given to him by Obito Uchiha. Since the eye got transplanted into him, Kakashi's ability to copy nearly any technique used against him gave him the moniker Copy Ninja Kakashi (コピー忍者のカカシ, Kopī Ninja no Kakashi) while utilising many of the Sharingan abilities including genjutsu, seeing through deception, and predicting his opponent's next move.[80] This was seen in action twice, once against Zabuza Momochi and then against on Root members sent to watch Naruto.[81] This eye also gives Kakashi a heightened visual perception to his surroundings, enabling him to perfect his Chidori and its later version, the Lightning Cutter.When he first received the Sharingan it had only two tomoe. Some time after this, the traumatic loss of his dear friend Rin caused Kakashi's Sharingan to fully mature.[82] In addition, Kakashi has extended the duration of time he can sustain using the Sharingan. While fighting Obito, a potent genjutsu master, Kakashi was able to go toe to toe with his enemy in an illusionary fight until he himself asked that genjutsu fighting be abandoned.However, because he is not an Uchiha, Kakashi is unable to deactivate this dōjutsu and is forced to keep it covered when not in combat as it consumes a massive amount of chakra, which forced him into extensive periods of bed rest. Because of this, Kakashi only relies on it when he feels it is an absolute necessity. In Part I, he could only handle using it for a short while in battle while suffering somewhat crippling effects such as severe fatigue.[84] In Part II, he is seen using it for seemingly a day while testing Naruto and Sakura without any adverse effects. Regardless, he is very skilled to the point that Itachi Uchiha acknowledges Kakashi's greater proficiency to most true Sharingan wielders. Intelligence: Repeatedly, Kakashi has proven himself to be a very shrewd and resourceful man, regularly having his opinion asked for by Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage. By a quite young age, Kakashi had enough experience on the battlefield to detect a hiding enemy's presence, impressing his sensei, Minato.[101] Kakashi has even been noted to be smarter than Shikamaru Nara in Part I: a ninja well-known for his insightful, and calculating nature.[42] His instincts also allow him to calmly effectively perceive and react to any incoming danger. Kakashi's intellect has proven itself against various S-rank ninja, including members of Akatsuki, showing undeniable perceptive and analytical skills,[102]able to quickly and single-handedly deduce the workings of the most mysterious enemy techniques and plot successful diversions in order to verify his theories (most of the time proving them correct). He is aided in this regard by his calm personality, which allows him to handle a given situation with some detachment.His long career as a jōnin, and formerly as an ANBU, have only expanded his knowledge, allowing him to handle virtually any situation. For these reasons Kakashi has been assigned to a variety of teams — always as the leader — and he is always able to work well with his team-mates. Chōza Akimichi attributes Kakashi's success to his approach to battles: he avoids direct combat by using misdirection and clones until he can determine the opponent's skills, at which point he modifies his tactics to fit the situation.[103] Kakashi has also shown repeatedly to be a highly capable teacher. He has come up with various unorthodox methods to help his students produce impressive leaps in their abilities in weeks what would normally take months if not years of intense training.